Final Fantasy VII: Tempus Rerum Imperator
by Writerman0
Summary: "Having knowledge of the yet unforeseen is tricky business. It makes it harder to blend in with the rest of society's unsuspecting members. Why? Because the urgency induced by such information ends up showing on your face no matter how much you try to hide it. I mean after all, it's not like you can go back to not knowing."
1. Prologue

**I DO NOT OWN FFVII/STEINS;GATE.**

* * *

 **PROLOGUE**

 _Have you ever felt invisible?_

 _I don't mean in the literal sense, we aren't ghosts after all - at least not yet._

 _No, what I mean is the feeling of one's efforts coupled with their presence being so minuscule and unnoticed that the individual in question is unable to evoke change in anything._

 _It's almost as if there isn't much of a point to that person's life._

 _Trust me; I know exactly what I'm talking about when it comes to this and I honestly wouldn't be using my valuable time to try to impart some friendly advice with you if this wasn't the case. I can assure you of that, my friend._

 _How to combat this? I couldn't fully tell you as I am only just figuring out the intricacies of what has been going on around me since my childhood, that and the fact that as cliché as it sounds, defining what makes you 'visible' is an obstacle that you're going to have to tackle on your own._

 _Now hold on!_

 _I never said I had all the answers; you're the one who came up to me in this dingy establishment looking for conversation and advice. Am I right or am I right?_

 _There's no point in me getting into how I know all this, it's more 'cause and effect' than anything; you learn through circumstance and hope every step of the way that it gets better based on what you've learned, that's the only way we can win at anything._

 _Don't get me wrong, it's most likely going to be a long and arduous journey to get to wherever it is you're trying to reach, but I can guarantee that putting effort in pursuits such as these are the stepping stones to overcoming this dread feeling of invisibility and your actions counting for naught._

 _See how I brought it back there? I'm good aren't I?_

 _Just pulling your leg is all, I only have one more thing to say to you buddy and then I'm off for the night._

 _Time is a valuable asset; make sure to use it wisely._

 _Once time turns on us, it's just going to keep digging at our weaknesses until it finally claims us in what we've come to acknowledge as 'death'._

 _Conquer invisibility before death conquers you and you just might have something._

* * *

 **Hi. This is the first entry of an idea that I just couldn't get out my head no matter how hard I tried...so I figured the best solution would be to type it up and put it out for as many people as possible to see. I hope that readers will find as much enjoyment in this as I have.**

 **Stay tuned,**

 **\- Writerman**


	2. Chapter 1

**I DO NOT OWN FFVII/STEINS;GATE.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 1**

 **12/09/0007 (10:52PM)**

 _10:52PM._

I stared at the clock on my PHS for what must have been the hundredth time that night as I took another drag of my cigarette.

This would be my last night lounging about so care-freely. Come tomorrow morning, I'd have to grudgingly move away to Costa Del Sol and get myself a "well-paying" job at the local resort there. At least that's the deal I was able to strike with my overly-concerned parents.

"What're you so antsy for Johnny? Stop checking that trash phone and chill out…with your red-head satanic-looking ass!"

Sighing, I looked up from my phone and glared at the source of the insult; my smirking cousin Duane. He was a rather stoutly built guy of average height with messy brown hair and an ever-present leery grin. I on the other hand, while not "satanic" by any means, did indeed have spiky red hair, a wiry frame and (according to Duane) a fiery demeanour to match. Whatever that means.

We'd been loitering at our favourite spot in the Sector 6 slums for a couple of hours after another inactive and directionless day. The small shabby playground called Green Park boasted a cat-shaped slide, mini-tunnel and a swing set that the younger kids frequented during the day, but Duane and I had quickly taken a liking to its empty and tranquil atmosphere in the evenings. It wasn't much, but it was ours. Well…ours and the occasional bums who stumbled through.

"At least I have a PHS you broke sewer rat!" I retorted.

We both instantly guffawed so hard that I noticed Duane tear up a little, making me all the more pleased with my timely clap-back. I hadn't told him of my impending departure in the interest of keeping things light and fun, but I'd have to tell him eventually.

"You're never gonna let that one go are you?" Duane chuckled as he wiped a lone tear from the corner of his left eye, "I was heartbroken, what more do you want from me?"

"It's the principle that counts bro," I replied after calming down a bit. "Your girl dumped you and I got a mail saying you'd be at the 7th, but by the time I made it there you were g—"

"I left because I was wasted!" Duane interrupted.

"Of course you were wasted! But you went missing for the whole night and let's not forget that I literally searched all of Sector 7 just to find you," I pointed out. "And to think that you were passed out in the sewers the entire time…"

"Shut up."

"How did you even end up there in the first place? You should've seen your face when me and Tifa finally found you the next day. Priceless!"

Duane's eyes glinted at the mention of Tifa's name. I instantly cringed even as I tried to laugh the whole thing off.

"What's up with you and Tifa anyway? You finally gonna ask her out or what?" He inquired.

"Trying to change the subject I see and no, it's not like that." I snorted while trying to regain momentum.

"Nice try, but you've been clowning me this whole time so now it's my turn."

"Relax."

"Me and you both know you only hang out at the 7th cause it's _Tifa's_ bar. Why don't you just grow a pair and —"

"We're childhood friends man."

"All the more reason for you to give it a shot! What are you afraid of? Honestly, you act like a lost puppy whenever it comes to her."

As was customary when someone incessantly asked about Tifa as a means to get a rise out of me, I clammed shut right then and there. I could see the smug look Duane wore on his face. His satisfaction irked me.

"Whatever," I said after a few moments of tense silence. "I'm assuming _Natalie_ hasn't spoken to you since she broke things off?"

The effect of my question was immediate. Duane's expression became downcast and I instantly felt bad.

"Nope. She's avoiding me like the plague." He finally managed.

"That sucks. Don't worry about it, she probably got tired of coming down here to hang with us bottom feeders anyways."

"Yeah…Hey, why don't we hit up Honey Bee? It's not like we're underage or anything."

"Hell no. Trying to keep my limbs intact here, thank you very much."

"It's not that dangerous man."

"I'm not chancing being around anything that belongs to Corneo."

"You're a wuss. Stay a virgin then for all I care."

"Cool."

Flicking my cigarette butt on the ground, I got up from my seat on one of the swings and turned away from Duane, staring skyward at the gigantic pizza-shaped Upper Plate that towered over the slums and served as the base of operations for Midgar's government AKA the Shinra Electric Power Company.

"Hey you ever think we'll collect enough money to make it up there and live the high life someday?" I asked, still gazing up at the view.

"To be honest, I don't know man," Duane said. "As much as I'd love to, It might actually be more trouble than it's worth."

Intrigued, I turned to face my cousin. "How do you figure?"

Duane retrieved another cigarette from his nearly depleted pack. "Some of the best times of our lives happened in _these_ slums. We have it all down here if you really think about it: night life, cheap cigs, drinks and shops that sell all kinds of junk which we can re-sell for way more depending on whose buying."

"Everything but the people huh? How shallow of you."

"Like it or not, the slums belong to _us_ and as cool as it would be to try and go upstairs, maybe giving all this up for a place we might end up hating isn't the best move, y'know?"

As Duane paused to light up his cigarette, I pondered his question. Was it worth it to leave our homes and way of life behind in order to take a stab at financial security and overall safety? For all the things Duane and I loved and exaggerated about it, the reality behind the slums was far more sinister in nature. It was a dangerous and poverty-stricken place whose only escape for its inhabitants was to either apply for the largely unattainable jobs in the private/public sectors on the Upper Plate or work directly for Shinra's military.

The poor job market and abysmally low prospects lead many slum-folk (including both Duane and I's parents) to seek out hazardous factory and metal-working jobs with no benefits, insurance or reasonable pay. Some banded together and opened up businesses that provided a variety of services while others joined local gangs to survive. This growing drought in available work and worsening living conditions was the biggest reason behind my reluctant decision to search for other opportunities outside of Midgar.

On top of all that, Shinra's very presence — with that massive head quarters of theirs — along with the rest of "high society" completely obscured us slum-folk from seeing the sky. Some of my neighbours have practically gone their whole lives enveloped in perpetual shadows without ever once catching a glimpse of the sun, moon or stars. Heck, if I hadn't spent most of my early childhood growing up in the small mountain village of Nibelheim before moving to Midgar, I'd be no different.

"Staying here is not going to get us anywhere though," I said after snapping out of my thoughts. "We literally do the same stupid shit everyday with no progress."

"So what? Besides, what the hell are you gonna do for fun if you make it up there anyway? Watch one of those boring LOVELESS plays?" Duane snickered.

"Wow, I'm actually offended. Who even likes that garbage?"

"Obviously you!"

I chuckled heartily at that. Duane never failed at trying to shit on my loftier ambitions by throwing in embarrassing stuff like LOVELESS. I mean, of all the things I could be accused of being into… _theatre_? My mirth slowly dissolved upon noticing how dark it was getting and I instinctually checked the clock on my PHS.

 _11:38PM_.

 _I guess now's as good a time as any to tell him,_ I thought with a frown. _I mean, what's the worst that can happen?_

There was a perfectly good reason for why I'd been holding off on telling Duane about my trip in search of "financial security" and it had everything to do with his negative views on those who "abandon" where they come from. In short, I knew he'd throw a fit.

Duane must have noticed the change in my demeanour because his bark sounded like it was laced with with tad bit of annoyance, "Everything good man?"

"Y-yeah, just zoned out a bit," I stammered as I looked back up and slipped my phone back into my pocket.

"No worries. Hey, you wanna split and head over to the 7th for a quick drink session?"

"Sure…but first I gotta tell you something."

As much as the prospect of passing by the 7th and seeing Tifa brought me a great measure of internal joy, I had to get this over and done with first. After all, I didn't exactly know how soon I'd be back in Midgar after tonight.

"What's up?" Duane asked, his full attention now on me.

" I—"

Suddenly, what sounded like a deafening explosion went off somewhere above us — bringing an abrupt halt to our conversation — and the ground itself trembled from the force of the ensuing shockwave. The massive pillar supporting the Upper Plate began to shake dangerously. Duane and I instantly bolted, hiding ourselves underneath one of the slides and holding onto the edges of the structure for dear life.

As the rumbling continued, my teeth rattled and my insides shook in a way that utterly terrified me. I was rooted there, eyes shut and unable to move.

After what seemed like an eternity, the violent tremors began to subside and eventually came to a complete halt. My ears were ringing. Once I felt sure it was over, I opened my eyes and saw Duane doing the same. We slowly emerged from under our hiding place and took a minute to regard our surroundings, dazed. Surprisingly, nothing had collapsed despite the earthquake-like episode we'd just experienced.

I could hear my heart pounding loudly in my chest amidst the frightened exclamations of the slum-folk who'd been violently roused from their slumber.

"W-what the hell was that?!" I heard Duane exclaim, his voice wavering. "Is Midgar under attack or something?"

I didn't respond. I couldn't respond. I had no clue about what could cause an explosion of that size or if we were somehow witnessing the beginnings of a potential war. A part of me reasoned that this was just a freak accident while another part of me wanted to run rampant with conspiracy theories.

One thing was for certain though. Whatever it was that we'd just felt…it was powerful and it had come from somewhere on the Upper Plate.

"Johnny, look!" Duane cried, breaking me out of my shock. "Up there, slightly to your left!"

He urgently directed my sights to the northern section of the Pizza Plate. My eyes widened as I picked up on the copious amounts of smoke that had trailed down to the slums.

I immediately ran up the slide we'd been hiding under in order to get a better vantage point of what I was looking at. There was a lot of smoke and it was hard for me to make out just how bad it was, but judging by the area and section…

"I think the explosion happened on Upper Sector 1!" I announced and as soon as the words left my lips, Duane came scrambling up the slide to see for himself.

"Whoa, dude the Sector 1 slums are practically covered in smog right now." He breathed.

He was right. The smoke was growing stronger and it was getting harder to see from where we were by the second.

This was not good.

"…Shit. I think we should get outta here," I said. "Hopefully this was an accident, but if something bad did go down…it won't be long before the slums get overrun with Shinra soldiers asking questions and I don't wanna be around when that happens."

Almost as if on cue, a distant alarm started ringing out from the Pizza Plate. Duane and I looked at each other wordlessly for a brief moment before dashing out of Green Park without looking back.

* * *

 **12/10/0007 (12:15AM)**

"Are you okay?"

"U-huh…"

"Y'sure? You know you can talk to me right?"

Before I could respond, an elderly customer hollered crassly for a refill of his drink from across the room.

Tifa stared worriedly at my disheveled form for a moment before going ahead and retrieving another round for the obnoxious customer, shaking her head in irritation.

An invisible pressure that had been bearing down on me up until then felt like it'd been lifted. I breathed a sigh of relief. _Phew, dodged that one._

The 7th Heaven was practically empty during this time of night, especially after the scare Midgar had just endured. Including myself, Duane and the elderly man, there were only two other customers lounging at their tables. The interior of the bar/restaurant itself was of a modest design; complete with wooden tables and benches. The only sources of entertainment were a pinball machine and jukebox. The TV monitor behind the bar had been turned off for the rest of the evening.

I sluggishly finished what remained of my fourth drink. The burp that followed was not on my list of proudest moments.

I'd been like this for the past half hour; downing drink after drink as I tried to unsuccessfully push the disturbing information I'd learned since leaving Green Park into the darkest recesses of my mind.

When Duane and I had finally arrived at the the 7th Heaven — after running for almost fifteen minutes non-stop — in search of our planned drinking session, we were instead greeted by a tense and dead silent atmosphere. All the occupants (Tifa included) had been watching a live Shinra Times broadcast on the TV monitor with rapt attention.

I still remembered the increased spike of anxiety I felt upon seeing the breaking news story's headline:

 _Midgar Under Siege._

The report indicated that the recent explosion had been caused by an eco-terrorist group called AVALANCHE who bombed the Reactor in Sector 1. The number of casualties were estimated to be in the hundreds and as a result, the whole city was on high alert until the culprits were either caught alive or dead.

Furthermore, AVALANCHE's manifesto was apparently aimed at stopping Shinra's usage of Mako energy, a poisonous practice that's slowly been draining the Planet of its resources over the years and turning Midgar's surrounding areas into a bone-dry wasteland.

Because of their monopoly on this type of fuel, Shinra's influence is massive and consequently they've managed to set up bases all over the world. Pretty much _everything_ runs on Mako and that's especially the case with the operations of Shinra's capital city.

The lion's share of the power distribution always goes to Midgar's Upper Plate first with the help of eight Mako Reactors, each sectioned off into their appropriately numbered Sectors (directly above their counterparts in the slums) which surround the government's headquarters in the centre. Well…seven reactors now. Shinra would probably have to work around the clock in order to restore power to Sector 1.

It baffled me that AVALANCHE was capable of somehow getting past the security posted at these energy plants. Weren't they supposed to be heavily guarded?

Wait…what if Shinra had traitors among them? No, that wasn't possible. Their vetting system was supposed to be rigorous.

Had they somehow gotten lax then?

 _It doesn't really matter now anyway,_ I thought. _The media'll probably have an official list of dead and missing persons published by the time everyone heads out for work today. It must be chaos on the Pizza Plate right now_ …

I felt a brief wave of dizziness wash over me, halting my inner musings, and began to slowly massage my temples. Oh boy.

There was no doubt about it. I was getting tipsy.

Feeling a another burp coming on, I absentmindedly turned to regard Duane who was sitting beside me, passed out with his head resting on the bar counter… and surrounded by at least a dozen empty shot glasses.

Idiot.

The original crowd had thinned somewhat after the live broadcast had been shut off in favour of good vibes. The rest of us ate some grub and chattered amongst each other before drinking ourselves into oblivion, Duane more so than others.

"Did you tell him that you're leaving yet?"

Startled, I looked up to find Tifa standing behind me and flashing her trademark earnest smile. Whatever discontent she might've still felt about my earlier unresponsiveness appeared to be forgotten. I didn't even hear her approach. Spooky.

 _She's looking right at me… Say something for goodness sake!_

 _Dude…I could get lost in her eyes for hours…Alright, calm down Johnny. Get ahold of yourself. C'mon…breath. Say something!_

This always happened.

I literally can't recall a time were Tifa Lockhart hadn't been drop-dead gorgeous. Her piercing reddish-brown eyes, athletic build, waist-long dark brown hair and pronounced…chest area were things that any guy would take note of in a heartbeat.

But even when we were kids back in Nibelheim, Tifa always seemed to have some kind of spell on me. I'd constantly find myself tongue-tied around her.

I mean, who wouldn't?

More than anything though, it was her personality that I'd always felt drawn to. She was kind, considerate and always looked out for others. She never really got mixed up in any drama and everyone who knew her had nothing but glowing things to say.

Since leaving our old hometown behind five years ago, I've tried to make something out of myself in Midgar…but nothing substantial ever happened. On the flip-side, Tifa ended up moving here about a year or so after me and gained ownership of the 7th Heaven not long afterwards. She's been running the place like a natural ever since.

Much as I'd hate to admit it…I haven't changed.

I was still that same snot-nosed kid who wanted to impress her somehow.

 _"_ Nah," I finally replied. "Didn't really get a chance to with all the craziness that's happened…"

I had told her of my plans to work in Costa Del Sol a week earlier. She'd taken it surprisingly well, but then again she probably only saw me as an old acquaintance anyway so I can't say I expected a strong reaction.

Her smile twitched for the briefest of seconds. It was so quick that I almost didn't catch it.

I don't know why, but I felt a knot form in the pit my stomach at the sight of her expression. Come to think of it…I did notice that Tifa seemed a little too calm during the broadcast. Even afterwards, she displayed an effortless cool between serving her other patrons and making light conversation with me and Duane. It hadn't occurred to me then how she must have been feeling, but now my mind began to settle on a plausible reason.

What if she was putting up a front in the face of this disaster because she had friends living on the Upper Plate? Friends who might've been near the vicinity of the blast?

It made sense. Tifa did know a ton of people in Midgar and it wouldn't be far-fetched to assume that she'd befriended some of our neighbours upstairs.

"Do you have friends on the Pizza Plate?"

Tifa looked at me as if I'd grown a second head. "What?"

"I figured…the reason you've been trying to keep your composure through all this was because maybe you had friends up there." I said in a small voice. The alcohol was still fresh in my system so it took all I had to enunciate my words clearly.

"Y-yeah, you're right. I'm just not exactly sure how to feel right now…" Tifa said, glancing away timidly.

"Don't worry, we'll know more about how things are going up there pretty soon alright?"

"You think so?"

"It should be fine, your friends are probably safe."

Even as I uttered those reassuring words, I could feel a deep well of anger bubbling up inside of me.

Fuck AVALANCHE.

What they were doing wasn't helping anybody. So what if Shinra was corrupt? So what if the land around us was being slowly poisoned?

Most of Midgar's citizens managed to move along with their lives in spite of these issues and make do with what resources were still available. AVALANCHE's attack had accomplished nothing but kill countless innocent people and hang a cloud of fear over the rest. I had to stop myself from shuddering at the implications behind Shinra's increased police presence.

It seemed my little pep talk had gotten through to her, because Tifa offered me a grateful smile in response.

Time slowed down to a crawl as I felt my inner self do a vigorous set of internal backflips.

Tifa and I were actually having a moment. This was incredible! Of course, Duane would never believe me. It just wasn't in his DNA, hating-ass relative that he was.

 _I shouldn't celebrate though._ _Her mind's elsewhere right now and taking advantage of that would be pretty low._

Call me what you will, but a dirtbag? Not a chance.

 _Besides, a couple of hours more and I'm outta this place. I should check on Mom and Dad, they're probably st—_

The front entrance to the 7th Heaven unexpectedly flung open, drawing everyone's collective attention to it and the four individuals — whom I didn't recognize — that made their way inside.

The first two guys moved as though they were in sync with one another and their styles of dress (plain work clothing in neutral colours) did little to dissuade this impression. Both seemed to also sport similar types of red bandanas for headwear. The only major difference between them were their body types; slim and pudgy.

Mechanics perhaps? It was a fair enough assumption, judging from the mild amounts of soot they were covered in and the assortment of different tools lining their belts.

Next was a rather cute girl with ponytail tied brown-hair who couldn't have been much older than me. She wore a red bandana around her forehead (was this some kind of trend?) and metal armour on her upper body.

Last, but certainly not least…wow. To say this guy's body was the equivalent of a tank would be an understatement. He was a dark skinned man with ridiculously sized muscles that looked like something out of a body-building fairy tale. He sported a general military getup, a vest with the sleeves ripped off and a right arm…that ended in a gatling gun.

There was an awkward silence as the door closed behind the newcomers while they looked around, sizing everyone up. The dude with the gun-arm's eyes narrowed as his sights fell on Tifa.

"Hey hostess, ya gots the good stuff here?" He asked in a gruff voice.

I observed Tifa as she nodded firmly. Her body language didn't show any trace of nervousness.

He started walking towards us. "Good, but first…"

Right then, something happened that I wouldn't have expected in a million years. Not from anyone and not in the _7th Heaven_ of all places.

The giant man let off three loud gunshots inside the bar. Shots that instantly woke Duane up from his intoxicated nap.

"Wha—"

"EVERYBODY GET THA FUCK OUT!" Gun-arm Man bellowed. "YA GOTS TIL THE COUNT OF FIVE!"

"Holy s—"

More gunshots were discharged. "I SAID GET OUT!"

That was enough for me. I promptly grabbed Duane by the shoulder and ran out of the establishment along with the rest of the previous customers. I'm ashamed to say I didn't once look back for Tifa.

Unable to run properly in our inebriated states, we collapsed a short distance outside the bar. The others were scattered around.

Tifa came out soon afterwards, apologizing profusely to her patrons. Finally, she approached us.

"Oh my god, are you guys okay?" She asked in hysteria. "I don't know what to say…I'm so sorry."

I assured her that we were fine and thanked her for the hospitality. Duane simply nodded as he tried to focus on keeping his wobbly legs still.

A look of pure determination crossed Tifa's face. "I told them not to…I'm gonna go give those bastards a piece of my mind! No way are they gonna pull shit like this and not regret it!"

She was fired up all right, but there was something about what she'd said that threw me for a loop.

"Wait a minute, you know these guys?"

"Of course I know them!" She replied, hands on her hips. "They come in every once in a while, not regulars by any means…but this is inexcusable! They're not going weasel their way out of paying for the damages."

And with that, Tifa turned and marched her way back into the bar. I could hear muffled voices arguing inside. She was probably chewing them out the fuck out.

As the voices began to subside and it became apparent that myself, Duane and a few other miscreants were the only poor souls standing out in the streets this late, I prepared to call it a night, trudge over to my house and face the music. I hadn't called my parents to let them know I was okay and there was a good chance that my cousin was in the same boat with his folks.

I winced at the thought of the argument that was probably waiting for me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw another figure emerge from the darkness and slowly walk up to the 7th Heaven.

"John…who's that?" Duane whispered. Faded as he was, it seemed he'd picked up on the stranger's too.

Impassive face..spiky blond hair…Nope.

I didn't. In fact, I was positive I'd never seen him around Sector 7 before.

But despite that, there was something…familiar about him. I immediately tried to sift through what murky memories I could pull up of my younger days ( _hooray from an alcohol-addled brain!_ )...to no avail. The dots just weren't connecting.

The man kept a reserved, but tightly controlled pace and seemed to have a defiant air about him. He also carried what looked like a gigantic single-edged sword on his back with relative ease and while I did wonder whether it was a real weapon or just a prop, I didn't dare ask.

Just as he came upon the flight of steps leading into the bar, the man stopped in his tracks and turned to look directly at us. Crap.

His expression remained blank, but his _eyes_ …they glowed a sickly green in the darkness and bored into mine. I froze and hoped to god that Duane had done the same.

 _SOLDIER_.

That's right. The second I saw his eyes I knew what this man was. A monstrosity.

The SOLDIER program was said to be the highest pinnacle one could reach within Shinra's military. Word on the street was that suitable SOLDIER applicants would have their bodies infused with mako and if they managed to come out of the process alive…they would become elite and efficient killing machines.

The bottom line was that SOLDIERs existed solely for warfare and were capable of things no other infantryman or trooper could ever hope to achieve. Some were even celebrities; renowned all over the world for their combat skills and efforts in bringing swift conclusions to large-scale conflicts.

This guy…what was he doing here? Shinra operatives of that stature never came around these parts. Something else was going on.

 _But then…oh no._

A terrifying thought occurred to me.

What if he was sent here as part of Shinra's investigation in the aftermath of the attack? If that was the case, not only was our earlier escape from Green Park in vain, but Duane and I were now in no condition to be questioned.

"Didn't anyone tell you it's rude to stare?"

The sly remark held a tinge of displeasure, but it had served its purpose. The tense atmosphere had been dispelled.

Wait…what?

I gawked at the blond-haired SOLDIER in complete disbelief. That was definitely not what I expected to hear from a bio-engineered killer on the payroll of a police state.

Before Duane or I could muster a response, the SOLDIER turned his back to us, finished the last few steps of his climb and entered the 7th Heaven unceremoniously.

The silence that permeated afterwards was deafening. The other bystanders were no where to be found. They probably turned tail the second they spotted the SOLDIER coming our way.

"Bro…how 'bout we just split for the night?" Duane murmured. "...We're just asking to get in trouble…at this point."

 _No truer words have been spoken_. I queasily nodded in agreement.

* * *

I watched Duane stumble off into the night. He'd insisted that he was fine and didn't need any help making it to his house. Living less than five minutes away from the 7th had its benefits I guess.

Sighing, I was just about to leave myself when a sturdy-looking sign that I hadn't noticed before on the far left of the bar caught my attention. Of course, the dim streetlights weren't enough to decipher what was written on it so I came closer and read the graffiti scrawled words:

DON'T BE TAKEN IN BY SHINRA.

MAKO ENERGY WON'T LAST FOREVER.

MAKO IS THE LIFE OF THE PLANET AND THAT LIFE IS FINITE.

THE END IS COMING.

SAVIOURS OF THE PLANET

— AVALANCHE.

The foreboding I felt while reading the ominous message turned into a full-blown shiver when my eyes locked onto the name at the bottom. My mouth went dry as I slowly backed away from the sign.

 _They'd_ been here.

My inner conspiracy theorist was acting up again, but...the more I thought about it, the harder it became to dismiss what was right in front of me.

Where else would AVALANCHE try to mine support for their sick scheme than from the slums? I couldn't imagine anyone with a stable living situation being convinced into joining a terrorist cell, no matter how _noble_ their intentions seemed.

And it was no wonder I hadn't seen seen the sign before. The damn thing was well hidden in-between the shadows of two buildings. Not many would think to look there.

 _"Didn't anyone tell you it's rude to stare?"_

The blond SOLDIER's words echoed in my mind, further deepening my trepidation.

Aloof or not, the guy _had_ to be snooping around Sector 7 for clues on AVALANCHE's whereabouts. If this recruitment message was found (it was only a matter of time now), everyone here would be put under intense scrutiny or possibly get implicated as prime suspects.

And there was nothing I could do about it. The sign was of a decent size, but far too heavy to dislodge and discard outside the Sector.

It turned my stomach to think what interrogation tactics he might employ. His status no doubt ensured that his actions, however heinous, would be protected.

 _"I'm gonna go give those bastards a piece of my mind! No way are they gonna pull shit like this and not regret it!"_

Tifa.

The SOLDIER was probably talking to her and those crazy non-regulars right now. Even as I silently prayed for her safety, I knew she didn't need it. Tifa had this effortless way of coexisting alongside dangerous types. She'd be alright…so long as Mr. Gun-Arm didn't do anything antagonistic to provoke the SOLDIER.

In an effort to calm myself, I took a deep breath and relaxed my posture.

 _Go. Leave. Go. Leave. Go. Leave._

I exhaled.

With one last longing look at the 7th Heaven, I turned on my heel and made my way home. With each step I took it became easier to fight off the creeping mental fog. There was no time to waste.

I had a long day ahead of me.

* * *

 **It took a while, but the first chapter is finally out. Thanks for your patience and please let me know what you all think (R &R). In the meantime, here are six appropriate instrumentals for you (the reader) to listen to (Youtube) while re-reading this chapter:**

 **1\. FFVII OST - Oppressed People**

 **2\. STEINS;GATE OST - Assailant**

 **3\. FFVII OST - Tifa's Theme**

 **4\. FFVII OST - Barret's Theme**

 **5\. FFVII OST - Underneath The Rotting Pizza**

 **6\. STEINS;GATE OST - Chaos Mind**

 **These tracks are meant to soundtrack your reading experience. Listen to them in order while reading through the appropriate scenes. Use your own judgement. Thanks and more developments to come.**

 **Stay tuned,**

 **Writerman**


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